TroubleShooter Mike Baird: 10.16.06

Repair loan waits while officials look at replatting

A man says the city is "platting" against him regarding his home of
nearly 30 years; a woman is chafed by knee-high rye grass alongside a
cemetery; and a retiree has a plan to help the homeless.

After moving his house in 1977, with a city permit, to his family
homestead in the 4700 block of Molina Drive, and paying taxes since,
Linzy V. Washington, 63, is in a quandary. He has applied for a
rehabilitation loan through the city to repair the roof, but was told
by the city that he will have to replat the property before he can get
the money.

His mother's house, now owned by his sister, also is on the same
lot. The siblings have been billed separately for property taxes for
nearly 30 years, and now he wants to know why it's a big deal when he
needs to repair his home.

Hector Vallejo, program manager for the city's neighborhood services
department housing assistance program, said Thursday that to make the
loan they need to be able to successfully place a lien on the property,
and that it would have to be separated. Ollie Grant, chief appraiser
with Nueces County Appraisal District, confirmed that both homes are
independently assessed for land and improvement charges, although they
share the same parcel of land.

Grant's cartographer Larry Fisher gathered deeds, did a title search
and confirmed the .2296-acre property was replatted on June 6, 1972,
when Washington's mother divided the property between him and his
sister.

"From our perspective, they are separate," Fisher said. "And both
have individual homesteads."

"Washington pays three quarters for the lot and his structure
because he also owns half of his mother's original home, and his sister
pays one quarter for the lot and her half of their mother's house,"
Fisher said. They have separate property identification numbers, he
said.

After talking with the Troubleshooter, Vallejo visited the property
on Friday to inspect the structure, assess its needs and discuss with
Washington possible solutions.

"No one was home so I couldn't get into the property," Vallejo said
Saturday. He's going back today, he said.

Troubleshooter will keep you informed next week.

Mowers arrive

Seaside Memorial Park and Funeral Home recently installed a new
fence, said Joyce Isenberg, 75, a nearby resident. "It's not like
anyone is trying to get out," she said.

Since the installation, the cemetery's lawn maintenance workers only
have been cutting grass inside the fence, Isenberg said, and a stretch
of grass along Airline Road, from Ocean Drive to Gaines Street, has
grown over the sidewalk used by many morning walkers.

"I like to see what I'm going to step on," Isenberg said. "And if I
walk through that tall grass my skin breaks out - it's very
sensitive."

Willie Lehnert, cemetery superintendent, told the Troubleshooter on
Wednesday that his mowing crews had gotten behind because of recent
rains.

"We're on it," Lehnert said.

And they were, about 20 minutes later, Isenberg reported.

Community help

After profiling last week some recent initiatives to help Corpus
Christi's homeless population, Mimi Deming, 84, a World War II WAVES
(Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) member, once stationed
in Corpus Christi, called with a recommendation to help raise money for
a home for the homeless.

"My sister and I are on limited incomes, but would like to help,"
Deming said. "Can't the city take $1 out of everyone's utility bill
each month? It could be optional. It's one way that all the taxpayers
could help. We need to help those people."

For help with a problem contact Mike Baird at 886-3774 or HYPERLINK
mailto:bairdm@caller.com bairdm@caller.com